Currently, there are approximately 84 million smartphones in use in Brazil. The use of this technology facilitates the daily life of the individuals in the personal, social and professional scope. Therefore, we hypothesize that it can be used to assess and improve dietary intake. Thus, we intend to develop an application to assess meal quality from a photo taken by a smartphone, using artificial intelligence. For this, the machine should be trained to recognize which meal is healthy or unhealthy, and, as a first step, a meal quality index is necessary.

This study aims to develop a meal quality index, to be applied to photos of dishes from a main meal.

For the development of the index, it was considered the main recommendations established in the scientific literature and the “Dietary Guidelines for the Brazilian Population”. The index includes nine components: 1- meat intake and/or meat substitute, 2- cooking method, 3- vegetables intake, 4- whole food intake, 5- food variety, 6- ultra-processed food intake, 7- fruits intake, 8- carbohydrates intake, 9- fat recipes and/or food. First, questions were elaborated and scored as 0 point (unhealthy answer) or 1 point (healthy answer). After, the meal photo was classified as “needs improvement” (< 4 points), good (> 5 e < 7 points) and very good (> 8 points). Each photo was assessed by two experts. Then, statistical analyses were performed considering Kappa (k) statistic to evaluate the agreement between the assessments by experts.

Data from 154 meal photos were assessed. We analyzed the % of agreement, k-value and significant agreement (p-value) for all index components and final classification, respectively: 1- meat intake and/or meat substitute, 64.94% and k = 0.2759 (p < 0.001); 2- cooking method, 81.82% and k = 0.5915 (p = 0.000); 3- vegetables intake, 77.27% and k = 0.5353 (p = 0.000); 4- whole food intake, 98.05% and k = -0.0087 (p = 0.545); 5- food variety, 79.22% and k = 0.5899 (p = 0.000); 6- ultra processed food intake, 76.62% and k = 0.4515 (p = 0.000); 7- fruits intake, 94.81% and k = 0.8494 (p = 0.000); 8- carbohydrates intake, 65.58% and k = 0.2960 (p = 0.000); 9- fat recipes and/or food, 73.38% and k = 0.4654 (p = 0.000); and final classification, 58.44% and k = 0.3218 (p = 0.000).

We verified a moderate and significant agreement for almost all index components using meal photo.

To identify generational differences in the dietary patterns of Brazilian adults born between 1934 and 1975.

A cross-sectional study from the baseline of the multicentre Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) cohort. Year of birth was categorized into three birth generations: Traditionalists (born between 1934 and 1945); Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964); and Generation X (born between 1965 and 1975). Food consumption was investigated using an FFQ. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify data-driven dietary patterns.

Brazil.

Individuals (n 15 069) aged 35–74 years.

A three-class model was generated from the LCA for each birth generation. Generation X presented higher energy intakes (kJ/kcal) from soft drinks (377·4/90·2) and sweets (1262·3/301·7) and lower energy intakes from fruit (1502·5/359·1) and vegetables (311·3/74·4) than Baby Boomers (283·7/67·8, 1047·7/250·4, 1756·0/419·7 and 365·3/87·3, respectively) and Traditionalists (186·2/44·5, 518·8/124·0, 1947·7/465·5 and 404·6/96·7, respectively). For Baby Boomers and Generation X, we found food patterns with similar structures: mixed pattern (22·7 and 29·7 %, respectively), prudent pattern (43·5 and 34·9 %, respectively) and processed pattern (33·8 and 35·4 %, respectively). Among Traditionalists, we could also identify mixed (30·9 %) and prudent (21·8 %) patterns, and a third pattern, named restricted dietary pattern (47·3 %).

The younger generation presented higher frequencies of consuming a pattern characterized by a low nutritional diet, compared with other generations, indicating that they may age with a greater burden of chronic diseases. It is important to develop public health interventions promoting healthy foods, focusing on the youngest generations.

To evaluate red and processed meat intake, and the impact meat consumption has on diet quality and the environment.

A large cross-sectional health survey performed in São Paulo, Brazil.

Diet was assessed by two 24 h dietary recalls. Usual intakes were calculated using the Multiple Source Method. The World Cancer Research Fund recommendation of an average of 71·4 g/d was used as the cut-off point to estimate excessive red and processed meat consumption. To investigate the relationship between meat consumption and diet quality we used the Brazilian Healthy Eating Index Revised. The environmental impact was analysed according to estimates of CO2 equivalent emissions from meat consumption.

Brazilians (n 1677) aged 19 years and older were studied.

The mean red and processed meat intake was 138 g/d for men and 81 g/d for women. About 81 % of men and 58 % of women consumed more meat than recommended. Diet quality was inversely associated with excessive meat intake in men. In Brazil alone, greenhouse gas emissions from meat consumption, in 2003, were estimated at approximately 18 071 988 tonnes of CO2 equivalents, representing about 4 % of the total CO2 emitted by agriculture.

The excessive meat intake, associated with poorer diet quality observed, support initiatives and policies advising to reduce red and processed meat intake to within the recommended amounts, as part of a healthy and environmentally sustainable diet.

To estimate the prevalence of inadequate nutrient intake among adolescents and the association between socio-economic variables and nutritional status.

Cross-sectional study with a population-based sample.

The usual nutrient intake distribution was estimated using the Iowa State University method. The Estimated Average Requirement cut-off point method was used to determine the proportion of adolescents with inadequate intake for each nutrient, according to sex, income, parental educational level and nutritional status.

Twenty-four-hour dietary recalls were applied in 525 male and female Brazilian adolescents aged 14–18 years.

The highest prevalence of inadequate nutrient intake was observed for vitamin E (99 % in both sexes). For male and female adolescents, the prevalence of inadequate intake was: Mg, 89 % and 84 %; vitamin A, 78 % and 71 %; vitamin C, 79 % and 53 %; and vitamin B6, 21 % and 33 %, respectively. The prevalence of inadequate intake for niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, Se, Cu and vitamin B12 was <15 %. Individuals in the lower income and lower parental educational level strata had the highest risk of having inadequate intake for P, riboflavin and vitamins A, B6 and B12. Compared with non-overweight individuals, overweight individuals had a higher risk of inadequate intake for Mg, vitamin A, P, thiamin and riboflavin.

The present study found a high prevalence of inadequate intake of nutrients that are recognised as being protective against chronic diseases. Adolescents in the lower income and lower parental educational level strata were less likely to have their nutrient intake requirements met.